This week on FUNKY FRIDAY, I
chat with author Francis Potts. He was
offered tea or coffee - he went for wine!
Francis, you freely admit to
being a young Enid Blyton fan (weren't we all?). Tell me what it was that grabbed you in her
novels and do you hold her responsible for your need to write?
Hmm. Has someone
been reading Carol’s blog? Enid Blyton isn’t
responsible for my need to write (I think of it more as a desire than a need,
anyway), but she did teach me something. Stories should be readable. People
have told me that they like my style. I didn’t think I had a style. I thought I
was just telling stories.
How do you deal with a bad
review? Are you a sulker or do you just
shrug and get on with it?
Mostly shrug and
move on. I don’t see the point of a review that just says ‘I didn’t like this’.
You say you enjoy chick lit. Can you tell us why and what makes a good
chick lit read for you?
Hmm. Carol’s blog
again? For me a good chick lit read is contemporary, has good dialogue, and a
happy ending. Nothing challenging, no wars, no vampires, werewolves, or BDSM.
Enid Blyton for grownups.
That's exactly how I see chick
lit - I like it to do what it says on the tin. Right. Dream time. What's your ultimate goal as a writer?
To write a
bestseller that isn’t run of the mill. A number of reviews describe my stories
as ‘quirky’. I’d like to write a quirky bestseller, and make a squillion.
Someone once asked me this question
and it got me thinking. If you were
offered a squillion pounds but told that you could never write again, would you
take it?
Yes. I could
probably handle lounging around somewhere warm, maybe on a shady marble
terrace, with lots of intelligent and talented women who would chat, pour
glasses of red wine and read to me. Maybe a few dancing girls.
Yep - imagination went into
overdrive there, didn't it?! Describe
your ideal writing day. You may include
dancing girls if you wish.
The dancing girls
would probably be a distraction. I’d keep them for later. Or when someone gives
me a squillion quid. Just a quiet day, without too many interruptions or other
things that need doing.
Mean question! How often do you check your sales? I freely admit to hourly, if I'm at home, if
that helps!
During a free
promo, every few hours. Otherwise once every week or two.
Wow - such willpower! I have to
stop myself from being so obsessed.
QUICK FIRE ROUND
Planner or Winger?
Winger through and
through.
Night or Morning?
Whenever I get
time.
Doer or procrastinator?
Doer.
Writing/first draft or editing?
Now? Finishing the
first draft of a collaboration. Life After Pole Dancing.
Tea or coffee?
Wine.
Thank you so much for joining me, Francis. It's been fun. Hic! Now I'll let you get back to those dancing
girls.
NEWSFLASH
My Christmas novella 'Cinderella's
Buttons' is due for release next Wednesday, 30th October. You can read all about it here.
